My question this time is: Which brand of Methadone (sorry iI forgot the generic name) is the one with the highest amount of pain ingredient?

Also my answer also to your question about a blog would be YES also if you are so inclined. I keep having questions that only you or my doctor can answer. I really don't think my doctor could come up with the answer as fast as you so I ask you!

I have read other things you posted about this medicine and can understand why my pain specialist wants me to keep the dosage at the minimum. So I want all I can get from the amount I take. Thank you for your never-ending patience and educating us that you do.

I think I would lean towards the least amount you can get by with, if it were me... Not that I have all that much knowledge about Meth, but the 1 pill I took about knocked me into next week, not to mention making me throw up all night long... I could have gotten by with probably a fourth of that pill, maybe even less. The friend who gave it to me is on a VERY heavy duty pain regimen.

Besides, at some point you may need to be on a higher dose and I would think you would want to leave some room there in case you need to increase.

Cathie

The generic is methadone hydrochloride. There seems to be two different generics. The first is methadose, which comes in 5 mg, 10 mg, and 40 mg tablets. The other is roxane, which comes in 5 mg and 10 mg tablets.

On the old board a few years back, there was a long thread about the differences between the two types. The conclusion, based on a good dose (sorry 'bout that) of science and topped off by experience, was that roxane tablets contain more of the active ingredient, methadone hydrochloride, than the methadose.

I have been taking methadone for awhile now, and I have always had the roxane type, as that is what my pharmacy orders. I talked at some length with my pharmacist about this issue once -- he felt that the roxane was a bit superior but he couldn't really back it up with anything concrete.

I would just add that I do not think that Cathie's experience is typical at all for anyone starting methadone. Of course maybe she had that 40 mg tablet of methadose, in which case, her reaction was probably quite normal. An individual just starting would be prescribed a 5 mg pill to start.

I would just add that I do think that methadone can be a very good choice for pain management. However, there are a few clinical issues that need to be addressed. And prescribing properly is best done by an experienced doc.

There is more info on this site if you do a search. And if you are seriously considering starting, then you might want to post questions here . . . or just indicate such and I can add a lot of relevant stuff.

rafi

You are absolutely correct. I checked and it was a 40mg Methadone. No wonder I was so zonked...

My girl friend, who is maintained on this (3 times daily), seems to do OK with the drug regimen, although she still complains of breakthrough pain and takes Oxycontin for this. I worry about how all of this pain medication she is on might affect her liver.

Cathie

Thanks for your replys. I have been on methadose or methadone for quite a few years. My internist has no problem with prescribing me 80mg of methadone. It is my pain management doctor that wishes me to be on no more than 10mg in am and 10mg in pm. After reading some of what mrsD had to say about methadone I can see why.

To all the above, been sleeping all day,tummie pain so here i am in
in the middle of the night. I'm glad you got good advice from Richard
before your trip to pain Dr.

Cathie you have trouble with S Neuropathy don't you,i hate to but in on
other. But could you tell me more about it. The floods are now hitting Mo.
Thanks for letting me but in,and good luck Friday at the pain Dr. After
3 years i finally agreed to Morphine sr it works for me. Now Cathie right
to the bathroom,we will never let you forget that one,but i would be
worried about your friend as well. Hope your all sleeping. Sue